January 17, 2010

?1-800-SE-DENTISTA (1-800-GOT-DENTIST)

Pensé que le gustaría saber cómo mi primera experiencia dental fuera de los Estados Unidos fue .... (translation... I thought you might like to know how my first dental experience outside the United States went...) Ha! Just kidding. I srsly do not speak Espanol. k.thx. You might remember I have recurrent dental ISSUES. I won't go into the gory details but this isn't the first time I've posted about my toofie problems.

Si? No? Well my last treatment estimate from my friendly American dentist was $8000++. I was told I needed 3 core build ups w/crowns and a root canal, core build up and crown (four crowns total). Now mind you... I've sunk a chunk of change into my teeth over the last 5-10 years (think 10s of thousands and I won't be specific). I've had to creatively finance ALL of it too. I've paid in a variety of ways....with all of my savings (emptied out 3 times), loans against my savings, yadayadayada, etc etc. Well, with this last bid I was given, I said ENOUGH and have been researching Mexican dental for several months now. I finally decided upon an office with good references (spoke with actual patients) and made an appointment for a consult.

The new treatment estimate included 4 fillings, 1 extraction (to incl an implant to replace the tooth removed and cleaning). All inclusive approx $2500. HELLO. He told me I didn't even need crowns. The extraction unfortunately was the tooth that required the root canal. Too late for it. In fact, after Dr. Britton saw the X-ray the first words out of his mouth.... HOLY GUACAMOLE. Now that was funny. He spoke fluent English. Anyway, the consult turned into an extraction and getting two of the fillings done (since I was there already and the one tooth that originally needed the root canal now needed extracting as it was infected. Thank you Mr. American Dentist for your help NOT).

Overall, it was a good experience? I leave the question mark because it was different but not bad. Some things kind of made me go hhhmmm? So that's why the question mark. There were some differences in "convenience" of care but not "quality" of care and the "end" results was the same. So I am happy about this. How do I compare it? Think LaJolla/Tijuana, think donkey/racehorse, think high-tech/hammer chisel. I'm OK REALLY. No really I am just KIDDING. The dentist was an awesome guy (except for the occasional unabashed profanity, NOT KIDDING...never had a professional do that before, well, at least not while on-duty??!?@!?). Ok so he didn't care about appearances... did that matter? His skills were what I was worried about. Um no fancy happy gas, so I was wide awake as he used hammer and chisel. Um no TV to distract me (perhaps the American dentist like to make me all comfy so I can ignore the fact that he was charging me 8000?). Instead I had a conversation in Spanish to listen to (that I didn't understand) which was entertaining in itself to me. I love listening to foreign languages. Don't ya ever wonder what they are REALLY saying about you?

Well, this was a first and not a last. I have more appointments to finish the treatment plan and I don't feel like I was raked over the coals and ripped off. Dr. Britton was genuine, honest and most importantly skillful. He went the extra mile. I did not know I had to fill my prescriptions in Mexico due to licensing. I found this out when trying to fill it at my US pharmacy. I called Dr. Britton on his cell phone number (which he gave me) and he picked up my prescriptions in Mexico for me and drove over meeting me state-side to deliver them himself so I didn't have to deal with the border crossing again (it can be time-consuming). Now that's service and Care with a Capitol "C".

Mexico here we come...

Nice sidewalk

These are the metal gates you walk through to cross the border. You go first...(that's hubby)

No turning back now.....hey wait up for me

This is the exact boundary between two countries. Don't cross that line!! Stop back away from the door. Put the package down....don't turn around. Security.

Inside the gates.... mural painted on the wall. You know my eye was catching the art.

I felt right at home. Vaca de la señora (Mrs. Cow) there to greet us.

Good-bye America. Good-bye US of A. No turning back now. Ok sorry I do get a little panicky.